Before the turn of the century Görres
criticized the blending of religion
and state due to his youth in the
electorate of Trier but he emphasized the importance and the preservation of Christian values, the independence of church(es) and their
moral authority. After his journey
to Paris and Napoleon’s takeover he
retreated into his private life.
Görres detested the violent excesses and committed himself to
art and history. He published cultural articles and was hoping upon
a career as university lecturer.
During this time he married Katharina von Lassaulx (1801), a publisher’s daughter. It is interesting that Görres did not marry in
a church. He may have done that
out of consideration for the publisher’s family who was rooted in
the new times. On the other side
there is the possibility that
Görres was upset about the role
of the church in the era of Napoleon. Later on he wrote that
chumming up «clerics» were «praising the devil Napoleon». Also the
uncommonly late baptism of his
children is a sign of this rejection: His two children Sophie
(*1802) and Guido (*1805) were
baptized in October 1807. The
search for the Godly in the
past which occupied Görres
during these years could be a
substitute act for the churchly
practice. It may be an expression for a crisis of faith or a
phase of identity search. The
former rejection of churchly
commitment could also have political or familial reasons that
were issue for a short period of
time as demonstrated.